Staging your home to sell isn’t just about making your home look good. You need to show its potential for relevant and local buyers. For example, an attractive, modern home office setup won’t appeal to as many buyers in a rural farming community. If you want your home to sell quickly at the best value, you’ll want to know how to style and stage it to maximize its potential.
Declutter and Clean (Twice)
Beyond the home’s style and color choices, interested buyers will be quick to spot clutter and cleaning issues more than anything else. While these issues are cosmetic and typically easily remedied, they can deter buyers who fear the home hasn’t been well-maintained, especially with older homes. Remove all clutter from countertops and tables, putting them away in drawers. Clear out closets for photography and tours. Box up the excess clutter if you don’t have space for it. Don’t forget hard-to-reach or often-forgotten areas, such as baseboards, the tops of doors, behind the toilets, and window treatments. Once you’ve given the space a thorough clean, go through it again to ensure everything is clean and tidy. Potential buyers will appreciate the effort. A cleaner, more neutral space will attract buyers in-person and virtually.
Define Each Space
Buyers can see the potential of a home when there is a clearly defined and designated space for each area. If you never figured out what to do with your home’s third bedroom, it’s time to choose. Create a simple home office or a baby nursery to help buyers see themselves living in your home. Even if that’s not what you use a space for, definition provides a clearer visual. Multifunctional spaces are also popular; define zones within a single room to showcase the potential of flexible space. A desk in the corner, flanked by a privacy screen and situated near a cozy reading nook, showcases the potential of a dual-purpose work and relaxation zone.
Consider the Location
Location matters when it comes to favored architectural styles and popular interior design trends. Coastal modern styles will attract buyers to a Miami condo, while modern farmhouse or rustic designs offer a reliable way to sell your home in Fort Worth. Rustic styles are well-suited for rural areas, while contemporary styles are more commonly preferred in urban hubs. Learn about popular architectural and design styles for homes in your area, both on a neighborhood level and a regional level. This research can help guide you to popular trends for buyers in your area, allowing you to sell a home faster.
Choose Accents
Most real estate agents and interior designers recommend neutral color palettes to appeal to a wider range of buyers. While there’s truth to this, many modern homebuyers are expressing displeasure with the completely “millennial gray” or sterile, neutral living spaces in homes lately. You can appeal to both sides of the coin by choosing a neutral palette, and creating some vibrant accents with furniture staging or accent walls. White cabinets with teal pots hanging from a pot rack can add a splash of color in a kitchen. Gray walls can be offset with a dark orange accent wall. Consult with an interior designer or experiment with online color palettes to determine which accent colors complement one another well. Throw pillows and blankets can also make colorful or bold accents in an otherwise neutral style.
Illuminate Well
Dimly lit or dark photos can be difficult to see, making a home look messier, smaller, or poorly maintained. Good lighting is effective for both open houses and real estate photography. If your home has poor lighting, consider adding some. Let in natural light from the windows, incorporate spotlights to highlight certain areas, and decorate the space with attractive floor or table lamps. Adhesive LED strips can also be used to cheaply and easily illuminate outdoor spaces or cabinets. Professional photographers can also help you set up suitable lighting for each room.
Hire Professional Photographers
Your selling process will likely involve online listings to maximize effectiveness. Whether you’re selling your home as a for-sale-by-owner or through an agent, it’s essential to hire a professional photographer. While everyone has a smartphone with a good camera, not everyone will have expert skills in real estate photography. It’s hard to capture a room’s size, theme, and decor all in one shot. Consider consulting with hired photographers to maximize the impact of your online listing, especially for the exterior, where buyers will first view your property.
Prioritize High-Traffic Rooms
If you don’t have the funds to decorate every square inch of the home, don’t sweat it. You’ll want to prioritize the high-traffic areas of the house, like the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and primary bedroom. Sprucing up these areas will appeal to the most buyers, as they are often the most frequently used and inspected parts of the home. Spare bedrooms or offices are important, but they’re not as crucial as the living room or kitchen.
Don’t Forget the Exterior
Most online buyers and all in-person buyers will first examine the exterior of the home. You want to make an excellent first impression. No matter how well you decorate the interior, a messy or overgrown exterior can deter many potential buyers. Enhance the home’s curb appeal by decorating the entryway, mowing the lawn, trimming excessive plant growth, and addressing major exterior issues such as faded paint or broken windows.
Conclusion
How fast you sell your home will depend on the market, your reach, and the condition of your home. You’ll want to tailor it for the likeliest buyer pools in your area. You don’t need to use expensive or extensive staging to do this. Hire a professional photographer, decorate the high-impact areas of the home, and tailor the staging to your target audience for the greatest impact and the best chance of a quick sale. A real estate agent and home staging professional will understand these trends and tricks easily if you need a hand.
